Exploding Dog?

Well, I have been a bit lax it seems. What can I say, I've been busy! So, I did pitch the night to the owner and he loved the idea. I have since found a business partner and named and branded the thing. Kim and I will be doing "Ravage" at Ghetto London: a night aimed at mid thirties and students playing rave and pre millenia dance music; a full on cargo-nbetted, glowstick waving candy-braceletted event. :) We're very excited!

I had another opportunity arise, but after a bout of enthusiasm seems to have fizzled out. I chose a partner with a real passion for music, unfortunately he's a flame, and he blows hot and cold. I applied for and got a job selling ads for a music mag in Brick Lane which I turned down. Selling ads is not for me, no matter how cool the paper. It was a bold move and a hard one emotionally, but ultimately the right one.

Glastonbury was awesome - probably could've done with it's own entry but it's a little late for that now. The Maccabees were great - I loved the lead singer; he was so shy and unegotistical, it made him sound even more beautiuful. I also enjoyed seeing Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip again; I liked that the crowd were all Radio 4 types. *chuckle*

I went and played some tunes for an American themed party in Christs' College Cambridge, which was a bizarre experience - ripped up the floor with Eddie Cochran, James Brown and Beastie Boys; It was lots of fun!

Going to be doing some DJing at Kill Your Pets at Ghetto, a scene I'm a little daunted at being a part of, but at same time excited! I've been listening to so much awesome music this week, have found some great new artists and bands, ah, fun times. :) I'd recommend Fukkk Offf if you like MSTRKRFT, Soulwax, SebastiAn and other hard electro bleeping.

Futuretronica

Got sent a great remix - worth blogging about:

Death - White Lies (L'Amour La Morgue Remix)
Worth scouring the web for. Not out yet and I only just got sent it so probably not ripped yet, but keep your eyes and ears peeled! It's a perfect synthesis of dance and indie that drops into hard electro. Bitching!

Have been batting around ideas to pitch to a club owner in London. It's a gay club and he's looking to fill slots on Monday and Tuesday; I'd like to continue the "rave room" we had at Popstarz as it's own night at Ghetto. Anyway, so I've been chucking ideas around and I've loosely pencilled in the name "Raving Bender" - what do we think? Is it a keeper?

New direction

Ok, so while there won't be a Rave Room at Popstarz, I will be spinning some discs in the Indie room instead, doing some electro/rave crossover. This is pretty good news! The slot isn't every week, but perhaps that's a good thing...

I now embark on the set recraft - what exciting times!

Homeless

Firstly, the good news, albeit delayed reporting. I have a new soundcard! It's just an "old" one from a family computer, but it's got a lovely breakout box and most importantly records sound much better than my old on-board POS!

Secondly, some less good news, in fact, quite a bummer. It seems Popstarz new venue will not have the space for the room in which I played - thus I no longer have my residency. My head is not held as high from now on.

Temporary setback.

Well I did a set and there were issues on playback. I will have to go back and rerecord the set, after first learning how to fix the issues I am having. This may take the whole weekend. I need a crash course in sound reproduction! Not such a bad thing as I've always wanted to learn more about sound systems, so it's a good opportunity to learn.

postscript: the set itself was awesome.

Six more weeks

Popstarz will be in temporary residence for another 6 weeks. The good news is I will be forced to restart my weekly concept sets, the bad news is I'll be broke for another 6 weeks. Downloads will now cost one gin n lemonade. ;)

I have been given an excellent theme by a friend and I plan to get some tracks together in the next few days, recording to follow! Recording will depend heavily on availability of studio - by that I mean, when my mo-in-law is out and I can get my groove on. :D

Anyway, apologies for not blogging my second mix - proper error! No one knew it was up and then I didn't get feedback. Ooops!

Lashings of apologies

I had a hard time this week coming up with a new mix for a couple of reasons. In order to maintain the high standard that I set with the first mix, I've had to consider carefully the initial ideas. The second helping is a concept mix which I've done an initial recording of, but will have to go back and re-do before it's ready to upload. A few of the tracks need tweaking! Apologies for the delay, I've had a strange schedule this week with added time-wasting of a hangover. Add to that a PhD student lingering around in my studio (aka - the living room) and it's a wonder I've got anything done at all!

http://www.embo.net/

After popping my mix up on my webspace I realised I had to have a decent website goin' on. After 24hrs of editing code I have a kinda cool lookin' page which mostly works. Please excuse some of the links not working yet and the writing being a little ropey, but I had to get something up quickly and I plan for it to get better every few days. Enjoy!

Week One.

After a set 1000 times better, I give you Black Sparkle, a blend of uplifting house and dark electro. Enjoy it as much as I did.

46:06

Midnight Juggernauts - Shadows
Roisín Murphy - Overpowered (Kris menace Remix)
Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You
Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire (Midnight Juggernauts Remix)
Dave Gahan - Kingdom (Digitalism Remix)
Ladytron - Sugar (Jagz Kooner Mix)
Depeche Mode - Just Can't get Enough (Dirty South Remix)
Goldfrapp - Ooh La La (Benny Benassi Remix)(Extended)
Suicide - Rocket USA
Death In Vegas - Dirge

The Earl Grey Set

Well the first misc set I did didn't go as well as planned. It was fraught with technical problems for a start. It was a rookie error to just hit the decks and press record without checking the sound properly. I then performed a series of stupid mistakes, from tracks running out and missing cues to knocking buttons and beat matching poorly, it couldn't've been much more amateur sounding. Creatively, I'd had this vision which I wasn't able to muster on the first try - but I felt really rushed cos I had to go to work so couldn't get my head in the right space, nor did I have time to research my idea properly.

All though listening this morning, it doesn't sound as bad as I remember - I guess we are all our own harshest critic!

Just one day out of life...

I'm in hiatus while Popstarz changes venues and all week I've been wracking my brain to find something to fill my time. My inspiration came whilst listening to Radio Soulwax* last night; here are two guys who just played excellent tunes from cheese to obscure electro, remixed and mixed well. So, I figure I'll stick a series of mixes up, one a week if I get organised. Not sure what web syndication is let alone how to do it so I'll not use this new-fangled term "podcasting". Should be fun. Red Light Company is out in a few weeks,

I'm really looking forward to going into a shop and actually buying it! I plan to pick up White Lies at the same time. Also looking forward to new Franz Ferdinand. yay!

I've just finished listening to the latest She Wants Revenge album "This is Forever". If you like SWR, then you'll like this album, if you were expecting new revellations from the band, don't bother. It's more of the same, but some how he sounds even more like Bowie than before. I like it, but then I don't mind samey if it's good samey - sometimes in fact, it can be a blessing.

New Year's Eve mix

Finally, after a week pottering around I've recorded all three hour long mixes for my absentee NYE set at Popstarz. They can be downloaded here. Each hour is about 55Mb each, or you can listen just by clicking. It's not perfect, but I had to just get something recorded, anything is better than nothing. Hour 3 is particularly dodgy in places, but hey. Enjoy.

Hour 1:

Felix Da Housecat - Silver Screen Shower Scene
Tiga - Louder Than A Bomb
Chromeo - Tenderoni (MSTRKRFT Remix)
Justice - DVNO
Daft Punk - Human After All (SebastiAn remix)
Calvin Harris - Acceptable In The 80s
Simian Mobile Disco - Hustler
Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You
Midnight Juggernauts - Shadows
Crystal Castles - Untrust Us
Dragonette - I Get Around
Britney Spears - Womanizer (JUSTICE Club Remix) (Leaked)
Sneaky Sound System - I Love It
Christian Falk feat. Robyn - Dream On (Warren Clarke Club Mix)

Hour 2:

The Cribs - Mens Needs (CSS Mix)
Pink - So What (Bimbo Jones Extended Mix)
Kylie Minogue - Wow (MSTRKRFT Remix)
Mason Vs. Princess Superstar - Perfect (Exceeder)
The Kills - Cheap and Cheerful (SebastiAn Remix)
Depeche Mode - Just Cant Get Enough (Dirty South Remix)
The Tings Tings - That's Not My Name (Soul Seekerz Radio Mix)
Kaiser Chiefs - Never Miss A Beat (Run Hide Survive Remix)
MGMT - Kids (Soulwax Remix)
Snap! - Rhythm Is A Dancer (12 Mix)
Utah Saints Something Good '08 (Radio Edit)
Gala - Freed From Desire (Club Mix)
Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor
Mylo vs. Miami Sound Machine - Doctor Pressure

Hour 3

Culture Beat - Mr. Vain
Bob Sinclar Vs Corona - The Rhythm Of The Night 2008 (Habakus Remix)
Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up (Wideboys Remix Full Club)
Sugababes - Girls (Fred Falke Short Edit)
Ashley Simpson - Outta My Head (Dave Aude Club Mix)
September - Cry For You [Jackal Remix Short]
The Saturdays - Up (Wideboys Remix)
Dave Spoon feat. Lisa Maffia - Bad Girl (At Night)
Technotronic - Get Up (1993 7 Remix)
Kid Sister - Control (JFK Remix)
Moby - Disco Lies (Freemasons Club Edit)
Kylie Minogue - The One [Freemasons full on radio remix edit]
Dizzee Rascal - Flex (Dave Spoon Remix)
Wiley - Wearing My Rolex

Just press play...

Having told Popstarz that I can't do NYE for them they have asked me to record a 3 hour set (3 x 1 hour cds) as they can't fill my place. They are paying me handsomely and best of all it has forced me to do a project I've been half-heartedly doing for 6 months. Today I decided to work out the logistics and get the tech working. I've opted to plug my decks into my computer and record live as I've not been able to get any DJ program working so I can use my headphones as a monitor - I think I just don't have a good enough soundcard. After some jiggery-pokery, I actually managed to get this to work and later record using Goldwave! I AM NOW READY TO RECORD! :)

Alison Mosshart

Just as I had finished sorting out Kammo 2, Popstarz asked me to do a 4 hour slot on Friday! I had to extend and re-plan my material to be able to be used for a 4 hour set. I worked all day coming up with 15 new bangers to add to my repertoire.

After that, I went to see The Kills supported by XX Teens. Secretly, I went to see XX Teens as I like them over The Kills. But my indie peers would disapprove of such an opinion. I like the art rock edge of XX Teens that doesn't take itself too seriously, an ironic in your face interaction - almost shock-rock at times. There is this one moment when they "pause a song" freezing completely and everyone thinks the song is finished and clap, then when nothing happens a sort of unrest stirs in the crowd and questioning murmuring breaks out. It's a great moment to watch the crowd feeling uncertain and confused. Breaking out of the mould, but not too violently. The Kills were sexy bluesy, rock n roll shouting, likable, but too clichéd for me - the lady (who I could look up the name of to look clever but can't be bothered to insult either of our intelligence for) was very sexy, she had this great look, with long silky hair flying everywhere, understated clothes and an unadulterated classic face full of defiance.

I've decided to put together a mixtape of my new tunes in no particular order, to both alert me to the nuances of the songs in detail and get me back into making recordings. I have to keep in mind that it's better to have something that's imperfect than nothing at all!

Vampire Week ends?

Ok, this is day four of DJ set creation. The last four days I've had off work I've done nothing but look for tracks for what's now being called "Kammo 2: return to disco". First day I looked up trendy indie club playlists and sourced the tracks I dug that I felt reflected what I'd like to bring to Kambar, and that I'd heard on dancefloors of London. NB: "sourced" means stole from internet, however tracking down tracks entails a lengthy process and four different utilities - an electronic heist more like! Day two was a Last.FM day, looking up artists like other artists. I also looked up who had new tracks coming out and "sourced" them. All the while I used my utilities to find other people who had folders of useful tracks - remix albums, folders of current playlists, mashups, compilations. Day three was a little wasted, as I spent the day looking for tracks which reflected the more classic side - but I realise that it wouldn't fit with the other tracks of my set so went in another direction on the fourth day: Indie remixes; indie remixes retain the classic while dragging it into the present. In doing this I discovered a few top producers of such work - such as Go Home Productions who make quality mashups and remixes you can actually use - also he's been active for a long time and so has over 11 bootlegs "available".

I look pasty, I've eaten too many peanut m & m's (the Neon Jeepster snack of choice) and I've not seen the sun in a week. My computer has given me the icy hue of an Internet vampire.

Would you believe that there's no money in this gig? It occurred to me when I was talking about how much "work" I had done that this was unpaid. Ah, but, once I gather these tunes it will be my launching pad for sets on the trendy indie dancefloors. I'll be fully up to speed on indie and can branch out.

Tracks of note and new found glory are: Ladyhawke - Paris Is Burning (Peaches remix), Cribs - Men's Needs (CSS Remix)
Check those badboys out.

Kammo 2 - return to the disco

Spent obsessively focussed hours finding tunes for my upcoming filler slot at Kambar (Saturday November 22nd). Last time was not much fun due to the complete lack of respect people had, but this time I'm prepared. I've basically spent my "morning" on Soulseek downloading other people hard-earned finds and carefully ripped whitelabel vinyl; Props to all those people's dilligence and lack of social life. I have both the complete Kissy Sell Out remixes and complete SebastiAn remixes downloading right now. This pleases me, but also I hang my head in shame for not having done this a year ago. Anyway, my set for Kambar is going to include lots of the electro indie remixes that are pounding around London at the moment and Cambridge won't know what hit them, bit nervous about the whole thing cos I know students just want to hear The Killers and drink Sambuca shots. To be honest, and I'm not apologising, but I will be playing a basic framework of solid hits and classics, but peppered with stuff that is actually cool.

ATP presents... @ London Forum Oct 30th.

Started with Lightning Bolt who I wasn't that impressed by. I like that kind of music but they sounded like everything else in that genre to detract from the originality of what they were maybe trying to achieve. It was a strange feeling to listen to static and noise and think "oh, it's been done". Even the fact that they played on the floor surrounded by people had been done. Shame, cos they were good.
Next up were Pissed Jeans who I thought bridged the gap between Joy Division and The Pixies. Didn't really connect with any of the songs, nothing blew me away, but they were good. The best part was when they played a cover of "Vampire Blues" by Neil Young and my friend who is a clean-cut nice boy and a huge Neil young fan stood up and screamed "Fuck!" at the top of his lungs when he realised.
Then came Wooden Shjips, who were some great stoner prog instrumental band. I liked them, except the last song took the piss lengthwise for what it was. Nice gold metal turban - wish I had a picture to put here!
Les Savy Fav followed and blew the audience away. The showmanship completely distracted from the music, so much so I have no idea what they sound like. The lead man, Tim Harrington, a fat, beardy, bald man who shook his hairy belly round every corner of the huge venue humping Halloween dolls on stage and fisting rubber babies in a truly shock-rock not seen since 70's (Marilyn Manson can eat his heart out - this was the real thing). I met him after and he gave me a Fisherman's Friend - it was yukky, but I accepted it graciously and thanked him for an excellent show.
Shellac were the obvious best band IMHO. Drummer Todd Trainer absolutely captivated me with his incredible genius, not to say the other parts weren't genius but knowing about rhythm and percussion I could appreciate it easier. I loved the bass lines, they were *just* how I like bass; simple, clean and slow - no fancy finger work just exactly the right notes in exactly the right place. The played The End of Radio and everyone went nuts. So good!
By the time Om played, I was a bit drunk and ready to go home after Shellac blasted my ears.

Too few Djs

Well, first off I'd like to thank Soulwax for my good set at the weekend. I silently offered up a prayer to them while their fat beats enticed people to gyrate, raise their neon bracelets to the sky and stab the ceiling with electro fingers. Thank you. My set however well it went down in the end, new tunes and all, started off terribly. First off I came to the booth and it was being used as a cloakroom and bar for a burlesque act which displeased. Upon playing my first cd, the Pioneer that had been playing up, played up and stopped my track halfway. the lovely understanding audience let me know their displeasure. Having lost my confidence and mojo I scabbed drinks off of everyone and played a random selection of tunes til my groove came back two rums later. At this point Stardust kicked off the night and I played some ridiculously good electro house remixes. I'd never seen a crowd go wild to a Ashley Simpson remix before...

Good Winter

Amazon recommendations suggested Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago, based on my purchase of Secret Machines. I downloaded it and had a listen and as usual Amazon have got it right. Minimal production which is no-frills without being lo-fi; bittersweet vocals which are mournful but not sad, with layers and harmonies frequently reminiscent of gospel; quiet acoustic guitar, again simple, but not unintelligent; the softest and barest drums - once in a while you'll hear someone clapping or tapping slowly on a kick drum. Bon Iver are nothing like the fuzzy electronics of Secret Machines, but do bear a resemblance vocally and structurally, not to mention the inexplicable hint of cult. This trio labelling themselves Neo-Soul and hailing from the endlessly rural wintry Wisconsin, recorded this album after lead singer, Justin Vernon, spent three months shut up in a cabin recuperating. For Emma has all the patience of a man tucked up inside enjoying the good winter.

Hoover blues

Needed music to do the housework to, so followed some youtube links and found Holy Ghost Revival after listening to the new Red Light Company song Scheme Eugene. Still loving RLC. Now my financial situation I splashed out and bought The Draytones album for £3 online. :) I gave the new Secret Machines a listen yesterday - it's good, a return to form. Long lingering power-shoegaze post-rocky math-rock goodness, with good lyrics. Since Ben Curtis' departure they have been joined by Phil E Karnats on guitar, who they knew from their Tripping Daisy days. *happy face*